"Rest assured, I mean you no harm, I just have a few things I wish to discuss with Miss Ning." Gu Yingnuo didn't spare a glance for the two large men behind her, addressing Ning Yunhuan directly: "Miss Ning, I know you've always had a rather poor impression of my older sister, haven't you? Well, I find myself in a similar position to you now. I wish to collaborate with you."

Had it not been for the mention of a sister, and the sheer hatred Ning Yunhuan perceived simmering in Gu Yingnuo’s eyes, she might not have recognized her at all.

"Second Miss Gu?" The surprise in Ning Yunhuan’s voice stung Gu Yingnuo’s heart. She was still a girl in the prime of youth, not yet eighteen, yet here she was, reduced to this state—even those who knew her before couldn't recognize her now. All of this was the fault of that despicable pair, Gu Yingxi and Song Minran!

"How did you become like this?" Ning Yunhuan deliberately inquired, noting the viciousness in Gu Yingnuo's eyes. Seeing her expression twist slightly, Ning Yunhuan then glanced at the leg that jutted out at an unnatural angle, sighing softly. "Whatever it is, let's get in the car first." Gu Yingnuo was clearly in a terrible state, and though Ning Yunhuan wasn't sure why she was seeking her out, she preferred not to linger at the school gates. Even though it wasn't the usual dismissal time, standing around for too long would attract unwanted attention. She hadn't forgotten the influential men surrounding Gu Yingxi.

"Madam…" The bodyguard cast a wary look at Gu Yingnuo, but Ning Yunhuan waved him off dismissively. She could see the resentment burning in Gu Yingnuo’s eyes; in her past life, she had seen that very look in the eyes of countless victims of Gu Yingxi, so she had no reason to doubt that Gu Yingnuo was feigning friendship to harm her. Moreover, Ning Yunhuan was genuinely curious about how Gu Yingnuo’s leg had been broken.

"Why do you trust me?" Perhaps things were going too smoothly, Gu Yingnuo asked with a sudden edge of caution.

Ning Yunhuan observed her, resembling a wounded young beast, so far removed from the cold, proud demeanor she had displayed while staking out the Ning family residence. While she was curious about the leg injury, Ning Yunhuan had no immediate need to extract an answer. Seeing the lingering suspicion in Gu Yingnuo’s gaze, she grew impatient. "Second Miss Gu, are you getting in the car or not? If not, I'm leaving. I admit, I'm a little curious about your situation. If you want to talk, I’ll listen; if you don't, I couldn't care less—it just means I’ll spend a bit more time here. What exactly do you think you possess that would be worth scheming for?"

In essence, Ning Yunhuan was admitting her curiosity about Gu Yingnuo's leg was merely a way to pass the time using her misfortune. Gu Yingnuo immediately understood the implication: the fact that her broken leg had become a source of entertainment for someone else caused a sharp sting in her heart. Her disability was currently her deepest source of pain and shame, and Ning Yunhuan mentioning it was like rubbing salt into the wound, further fueling her hatred for Gu Yingxi and Song Minran. Yet, Ning Yunhuan’s bluntness, though hurtful, strangely put Gu Yingnuo at ease.

Ning Yunhuan had openly stated her curiosity about the leg; Gu Yingnuo believed that. Since the accident, countless people had subtly or overtly tried to pry for details, usually offering only feigned sympathy. With her doubts dispelled, Gu Yingnuo made no further argument and, leaning heavily on her injured leg, started towards the car. It was clear she still wasn't accustomed to the prosthetic; she moved agonizingly slowly, beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead with every few steps, yet she remained silent.

"Come on up," Ning Yunhuan said, already inside the car. Seeing Gu Yingnuo struggling to grip the door frame, she couldn't help but sigh, reaching out to pull her up. Gu Yingnuo’s face flushed crimson, and after a long moment, she softly managed a "Thank you."

"If I ever offended you in the past, Miss Ning, I offer my sincere apology here and now. I regret not listening to you sooner; otherwise, I wouldn't have ended up like this today." Gu Yingnuo bit her lip, her voice trembling through unshed tears as she bowed slightly towards Ning Yunhuan. Seeing her in this state, Ning Yunhuan found herself unable to utter anything harsh. Gu Yingnuo hated Gu Yingxi to the core; Ning Yunhuan couldn't fathom what Gu Yingxi had done to her. But seeing as they were both victims of Gu Yingxi, and given that their past interactions had only involved verbal sparring, Ning Yunhuan, having lived through multiple lifetimes, wasn't small-minded enough to hold onto such minor grievances.

She sighed, bending down to retrieve a chilled soda from the small refrigerator in the car, extending it towards Gu Yingnuo. "What is it?"

Since the incident, no one had asked her a single question about what happened. Her family had been entirely protective of Gu Yingxi; because Gu Yingxi had lost a child, Gu Xian mourned so deeply she practically held Gu Yingxi in the palm of her hand. Gu Yingnuo, the true victim, was dismissed by Gu Xian as an unreasonable daughter. No one knew of Gu Yingnuo’s resentment, nor did anyone ask about her grievances. Yes, Gu Yingxi lost a child, but that child was her boyfriend's—it was a bastard! How could she have the nerve to bring such a child into the world? What would that child call her?

Gu Yingnuo couldn't speak these words aloud; the things she felt too ashamed to voice were exactly what Gu Yingxi had the audacity to do. She was Gu Yingxi’s biological sister! Though Gu Yingxi had looked after her since childhood, hadn't Gu Yingnuo contributed significantly to Gu Yingxi’s life too? Gu Yingxi was able to attend Imperial Capital University only because she and Gu Yuyu had spent over three years collecting garbage on the streets! If Gu Yingxi hadn't met those men later, she and Gu Yuyu would still be cursed as beggars on the street. Gu Yingnuo had sacrificed for Gu Yingxi, but when that shameless woman seduced her own boyfriend, she never once considered any of that!

The adoration and worship Gu Yingnuo once held for her sister had now curdled into intense hatred. So many unspoken grievances clogged her heart. The mother and sister she once saw as paragons now treated her as though she were throwing a tantrum. Her boyfriend had wronged her, causing her current plight, yet he looked at her as if she were immature!

Ning Yunhuan’s simple question dredged up the bitterness in Gu Yingnuo’s heart. She was the first person to ask her anything coherent after the accident. Of course, she was wronged and desperately wanted to explain, but her beloved family had never afforded her a single chance to speak. Instead, it was the person she once resented who now seemed to understand the turmoil in her soul.

"My sister was carrying my boyfriend’s child, and I caught them together while they were involved. Because of that pair of dogs, I ended up in a car accident." Gu Yingnuo then recounted how her leg could have been saved, but Gu Yingxi and Song Minran were so consumed by the thrill of their illicit affair that they delayed her surgery, leading to the amputation. As she spoke, her eyes grew redder:

"Miss Ning, I know you dislike Gu Yingxi. I hate her now too. If you plan to deal with her, I beg you to give me an opportunity to be of use." Now that her leg was gone while Gu Yingxi remained unscathed, Gu Yingnuo could not swallow this injustice. She wanted Gu Yingxi to suffer a hundred times worse than she had; she wanted Gu Yingxi to pay a thousand times the price for her actions!

Hearing this, Ning Yunhuan felt like she had been slapped across the face with a soapy rag. She recalled Gu Yingnuo's death in her previous life and was astonished that here, she had merely lost a leg. Unconsciously, she blurted out, "You're still alive?"

"What do you mean by that?" Upon hearing Ning Yunhuan’s instinctive remark, Gu Yingnuo paused, a terrible premonition flooding her. Connecting this with the scandal involving Song Minran and Gu Yingxi, and recalling the ruthlessness hidden beneath Song Minran’s refined, handsome exterior, her imagination ran wild. "Miss Ning, you… you mean, you mean to say…"

Gu Yingnuo trembled with cold terror from her own realization. If she wasn't mistaken, did Ning Yunhuan’s implication suggest what she was beginning to fear?

Ning Yunhuan had accidentally spoken her inner thoughts aloud. Initially, she worried Gu Yingnuo suspected her and frowned, formulating an explanation. But before she could speak, Gu Yingnuo erupted, furious:

"Did that pair of dogs, after doing something so shameless, try to silence me permanently?"

Slapped again by the sheer melodrama, Ning Yunhuan rubbed her face. She couldn't fathom how Gu Yingnuo had steered the conversation back to Gu Yingxi. This girl’s personality seemed to have drastically shifted since the accident, or perhaps she watched too many soap operas. While Ning Yunhuan despised Gu Yingxi’s hypocrisy—taking lovers while maintaining a façade of purity—she couldn't believe that, given her self-proclaimed saintly nature, Gu Yingxi would resort to murder. Such dirty work was usually handled by her coterie of men; it was how her pristine image was maintained.

However, this situation genuinely struck Ning Yunhuan as bizarre. In the book, and in both of Ning Yunhuan’s lived experiences, Gu Yingnuo had died in a car accident. The only difference in this timeline was that Gu Yingnuo had survived, albeit losing a leg, whereas before she had perished.

Furthermore, intelligence reports suggested that Song Minran, who was supposed to be utterly devoted to Gu Yingxi, actually held genuine affection for Gu Yingnuo—contrary to the book's narrative where he only used Gu Yingnuo as a stepping stone to Gu Yingxi. If Song Minran truly loved Gu Yingnuo, yet the plot demanded he end up with Gu Yingxi, then Gu Yingnuo, caught in the middle of their 'true love,' would have to step aside. The only ways for her to step aside were for Song Minran to stop loving her, or for Gu Yingnuo to die.

But even if Song Minran ceased loving Gu Yingnuo, as long as she remained Gu Yingxi’s sister, their passionate affair would remain an awkward entanglement centered around Gu Yingnuo. They could never be openly together. For the story to proceed as written, Gu Yingnuo, the obstacle, needed to be eliminated. This way, Song Minran could openly pursue Gu Yingxi under the pretense of honoring his 'beloved' lost love.

ps: A small piece of moral integrity has been recovered... Hopefully, it will be fully recovered tomorrow... RL